


home safe

by orphan_account



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Genre: Gen, references to violence against a minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-10
Updated: 2012-07-10
Packaged: 2017-11-09 13:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/455799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Crow gets a marker, he cries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	home safe

The first time Crow gets a marker, he cries. He doesn't cry in front of the Security officers. He won't give them that satisfaction. But once they've dumped him back on the streets of Satellite, the tears start coming, and he gives up any pretenses of toughness.

The marker hurts, and every time he thinks about being strapped to the chair while the laser branded him, his breath comes harder and shorter, like he's choking. Worst of all, the marker's the only thing he has to show for the whole thing. Security took back the medicine he'd stolen for the kids' fevers. He huddles against a wall with his knees drawn up and sobs like he hasn't in years.

Jack and Yusei find him a little before dark. "There he is!" he hears Jack yell, and before long there are footsteps pounding towards him and strong arms lifting him up and cradling him.

Crow finds enough indignation to give him strength. "Put me down!" he tells Jack, pounding against his chest. "I'm not a baby, just because you got that freakish growth spurt doesn't mean you can just pick me up whenever you--"

"Crow." Yusei is staring at him--at his face, and now Jack is, too.

Crow hates seeing so much worry on their faces. He wipes away the tear tracks and smiles as widely as he can. "What, this?" he says, pointing at the marker. "Just a little present from Security, that's all."

Jack's arms tighten around him. "What did you do?!"

"Don't squeeze me to death, you idiot. I was just trying to get some medicine for the kids."

"Without paying?" Yusei always knows what Crow is up to, even if Crow doesn't tell him.

Crow nods.

" _You're_ the idiot," Jack says, scowling. "You shouldn't have tried to steal, and now you've got this marker."

And nothing to show for it. Crow can feel the tears coming again, but he won't cry, not in front of Jack and Yusei. "It was for the kids," he snaps. "They're all sick, and we don't have anything to help them."

"But stealing--"

"Jack," Yusei says. Jack turns to Yusei like he's going to yell at him too, but the look on Yusei's face shuts him up. "Let's bring Crow back to Martha's place," he says. "She's worried about him too."

"I'm fine," Crow says. "Put me down and I'll walk."

"You're stupid and I'm carrying you."

"Those two things have nothing to do with each other! Besides, you're going to get tired and start complaining and then I'll have to walk back anyway."

"I won't get tired," Jack says, in the stubborn way that pisses Crow off. He starts walking down the street.

Yusei touches Crow's arm as he walks alongside Jack. "I'm glad you're okay," he says.

"Of course I'm okay," Crow says. He hopes it doesn't look like he cried too much. "It takes more than one stupid marker to hurt Crow-sama."

Yusei smiles, Jack snorts, and Crow relaxes a little. "How are the kids doing?" he asks.

"They're doing better," Yusei says. "The fevers have gone down."

So it's not all bad, even if he didn't get the medicine. Crow lets his eyes drift closed. He could always try to steal the medicine again, too, if he needs to. He knows Security's routine better now...

The last thing he remembers is being laid down in bed.

"You can stay with him," someone says, and the bed dips under the weight of two more people. Then there are two warm bodies next to his, an arm slung around his waist, kisses on the back of his neck, his cheek, his eyelids. He mumbles a little protest.

"Go to sleep." Jack's voice is a rumble against Crow's back. When did his voice get so deep?

"It's okay." That's Yusei, so close his breath mingles with Crow's. "You're home now."

Crow curls up smaller in between his friends, and sleeps.


End file.
